Ryth
A ferocious race and as old as the land itself, these draconic beings are as fierce and temperamental as fire and as violent than their ancestors. They bear a proud and long history living side by side with umbrians and Elves, the Ryth are the second oldest denizens of Soluna. They carnivorous and bipedal but can use their arms run in all fours, gaining speed and distance. =History= As stories would tell you, long ago ancient beasts roamed this land as its tyrants, the Dragons. They ruled sky and land with an iron grip; primal and full of rage and envy. They are even said to be the embodiment of sin itself. Ancient and nigh immortal, Dragons had no enemies save their own kind, hunting, killing, eating, and ravaging as much as they wanted. Dragons lived and ruled for thousands of years, until the breadth of their whims consumed them. Their numbers dwindled and their power waned. The last remains of the age of Dragons can be found in Heil. The ancient elves and the ancient dragons were at constant war for the lands they both inhabited. Dragons were violent and truculent while elves were protectors and nurturers, and so they were constantly at odds with each other. During this time, the Ryth were born. Through years of disuse, wings became weak and unnecessary, so a Ryth capable of flight was unheard of. The loss of flight has also limited the Ryth to forage for food where their limbs can take them. In effect, this caused the once collossal dragons to shrink in size. Due to the degradation of their wings other aspects of the dragon evolved. A more powerful tail and a crueler set of claws. Their ability to breath fire still remained as well as their scaly bodies. D20 Health Die 1 Strength 1 Toughness 1 ability known at first level Breath ability known at first level Resistance to the same element as their breath ability. Breath A ryth must choose a breath element of their choice; ice, fire, acid, or force. This breath elemental attack is a 3 cone reach attack. It deals 1d4 points of damage and increases it's die for each time you charge up till three times. At the first charge it increases to a d6, then a d8 for the second time, and last a d10 for the third time. Charging takes up a main action. =Mentallity of a Ryth= Ryth are proud people. They are made of heat and fire; raw, primal, and destructive. Prone to a slew of base emotions, anger, lust, joy, hate, and envy. They remember the beings they once were and have an inherent feeling of that fall from grace, thus wounding their immense pride. At first glance, the Ryth are deemed selfish and wanton, however this is only one aspect of their people. The Ryth celebrate life in its primal glory, the act of war, the thrill of the hunt, the joy of battle, and the exquisite conquest of the unknown. More doers than thinkers, ryth are battle ready and battle hardened, willing to DO just for the sheer thrill of doing. Ryth are also honorable and reliable. They are honest to a fault and when they give their word, they mean to keep it come hell or high water. A ryth friend will do anything without asking for anything else in return. Though they are easily agitated and a lot of ryth are starters or finishers of many a fight, Ryth know a winning battle when they see it. A fight that proves a challenge where they become champions in the end are preferable to a brawl that ends up in prison. Ryth also have a type of code of chivalry. These rules are mutable and may differ from one ryth to another, though no matter what the code may be, Ryth will never divert from it. =Form of the Dragon= Ryth are the degradation of Dragons, and thus are akin to lizards. They lack the ability to fly like their ancestors, however they are still as dangerous when woken. Muscular as they are, the ryth have a more built upper body and neck. They stand upright, showing their chest high in the air when not in combat. Stalking ryths hulk down in order to get into a faster speed sooner. Ryth have rough, bumpy, and scaly skin similar to that of alligators. It ranges from black to green to maroons and even golds. They are adorned with bone protrusions such as bumps or spikes that can sometimes grow out of their skin. Hair is a rare quality to have on a Ryth, and those that do have them in limited supply. Usually growing from the scalp down the spine, this hair is coarse as wire but comes in a bevy of metallic hues from soft blue platinums to fiery coppers. The internal temperature of a ryth is quite warm and they can be seen steaming if the weather is cold enough, as such they have a higher tolerance to chilly regions and climates. Ryth have powerful jaws, some protrude while others do not, and have tails that come in various lengths and thicknesses. Male ryth stand between 6'10" - 8'0" tall and can weigh up to 300 pounds. Females tend to be between 6'0" - 7'0" tall and weigh around 200 pounds. Their immense size are both a benefit and a hindrance. They are easily spotted and do not bode well when asked to sneak (not that a ryth would even if his size was not an issue) some doors and ceilings are too low for a ryth and they must crawl or duck to get through. Commercial carriers are sometimes not equipped to handle a ryth passenger and so they are not permitted in some vehicles. Then again, their size allows them to carry heavier loads and are able to equip certain armaments that are unsuitable for other races to use. Primary form of combat The ryth are walking weapons. Built to deal damage and ask questions later. They are trained at a very young age to fight, and until the day they die they never cease to learn how to wage war and win battles. They are blessed with several natural weapons ranging from their fire breathing and their sharp cruel claws. Ryth hands and feet are massive, barbed with ebony claws that can dig through steel and punch through mortar. Their bodies are massive and muscular, fire encased in pure stone and rock. Their claws make cruel grips and a full strength ryth punch can dent an armored vehicle. Being born from dragons, they are capable of breathing fire and acid. Ryth fire is at a higher temperature than normal fires and can melt steel quickly. The acid that they can spray is also quite deadly, able to eat through flesh within seconds. Thankfully they are not capable of using these for long periods of time and when used up, a ryth must recharge their bile or breath. Prolonged use of this power can also harm the ryth, since their body composition is not completely impervious to the fire or the acid like their ancestors were. Their other form of natural armament is the tail. A muscular appendage that can be used to bludgeon anyone foolish enough to sneak behind a ryth. Their tails are not inherently strong and are quite sensitive when touched, however there are those who spend years training their tails to become effective weapons. Secondary form of combat Some ryth are born with skeletal spikes that grow out of their skin. These spikes are often used as a way to distinguish a ryth from his or her clan, others file them down, while others turn them into cruel weapons for war. A ryth can tackle an enemy with such force and speed that these spikes can cause deadly harm to anyone in the dragons path. Spikes can grow on knuckles, snouts, scalps, or tail bones of a ryth. Another weapon that the ryth can utilize is their jaws. Powerful jaws filled with razor sharp teeth can be used to break bones easily. Most ryth however will not use their jaws as it can pose a bigger threat to their well being. =Ryth Society= The Ryth are an independent and proud people, preferring to live a solitary life save for their immediate family. There are ryth who live within communities of other races, and these ryth are solitary in their emotions and their private lives. Ryth by tradition only commune during Ryth festivals, most of which are celebrated through tournaments and battles. Ryth distinguish themselves with their physical appearance more than their names. A ryth name is usually the name of the tribe they belong to followed by a number denoting the order in which that ryth was born. The names of these tribes come about in a variety of ways, a ryth passionate about battle could have named his tribe Warband while another ryth passionate about confections could be called Sweet-Eater. A ryth marked with the number I (I.E. Soulbreaker I)is the first ryth of that tribe. Category:Races Category:Soluna